third quarter of fiscal 2026
Filed Aug 5, 2026Cencora Reports Fiscal 2026 Third Quarter Results
Revenue increased 5.1 percent year-over-year to $84.8 billion, while GAAP diluted EPS increased 11.9 percent to $3.94 and adjusted diluted EPS increased 12.0 percent to $4.48. The Company raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance range to $17.75 to $17.95.
Key metrics
as reported| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueGAAP | $84.8 billion | – | 5.1 percent |
| Revenuenon-GAAP | $84.8 billion | – | 5.1 percent |
| Gross ProfitGAAP | $3.6B | – | 24.1 percent |
| Gross profit as a percentage of revenueGAAP | 4.26 percent | – | 66 basis points |
| Adjusted Gross Profitnon-GAAP | $3.5B | – | 23.2 percent |
| Adjusted gross profit as a percentage of revenuenon-GAAP | 4.16 percent | – | 61 basis points |
| Operating ExpensesGAAP | $2.5B | – | 21.9 percent |
| Adjusted Operating Expensesnon-GAAP | $2.3B | – | 26.8 percent |
| Operating IncomeGAAP | $1.1B | – | 29.1 percent |
| Operating income as a percentage of revenueGAAP | 1.32 percent | – | 24 basis points |
| Adjusted Operating Incomenon-GAAP | $1.2B | – | 17.0 percent |
| Adjusted operating income as a percentage of revenuenon-GAAP | 1.46 percent | – | 15 basis points |
| Interest Expense, NetGAAP | $141M | – | – |
| Net interest expenseGAAP | $140.7 million | – | increase of $58.9 million |
| Effective Tax RateGAAP | 22.1% | – | – |
| Adjusted Effective Tax Ratenon-GAAP | 19.9% | – | – |
| Net Income Attributable to Cencora, Inc.GAAP | $764M | – | – |
| Net Income Attributable to Cencora, Inc.non-GAAP | $869M | – | – |
| Diluted Earnings Per ShareGAAP | $3.94 | – | 11.9 percent |
| Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Sharenon-GAAP | $4.48 | – | 12.0 percent |
| Diluted Shares OutstandingGAAP | 193.9M | – | decrease of 0.7 percent |
| U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment operating incomeGAAP | $966.2 million | – | 15.9 percent |
| International Healthcare Solutions segment operating incomeGAAP | $165.9 million | – | 20.8 percent |
| International Healthcare Solutions revenue growth on a constant currency basisother | 6.1 percent | – | – |
| International Healthcare Solutions segment operating income growth on a constant currency basisother | 23.1 percent | – | – |
| Other operating incomeGAAP | $108.7 million | – | 24.8 percent |
Segments
| Segment | Revenue | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Healthcare SolutionsOverall market growth largely driven by unit volume growth, including increased sales of specialty products to health systems and physician practices and products labeled for diabetes and/or weight loss in the GLP-1 class. Growth was offset in part by a decline in manufacturer prices related to certain brand pharmaceutical products, the 2025 loss of an oncology customer, and lower sales to the large mail order customer. | $74.9 billion | – | 4.9 percent |
| International Healthcare SolutionsGrowth in the European distribution business and global specialty logistics business. | $7.7 billion | – | 5.9 percent |
| OtherGrowth at Profarma and MWI Animal Health, offset in part by a decrease in sales at consulting services businesses due to the April 2026 divestiture of U.S. Consulting Services. | $2.3 billion | – | 6.9 percent |
Fiscal 2026 outlook
- NoteAdjusted diluted EPS guidance range of $17.75 to $17.95
- NoteThe Company does not provide forward-looking guidance on a GAAP basis.
Capital returns
- Cencora Repurchased $1 Billion of Shares in the Third Fiscal Quarter
- Diluted weighted average shares outstanding decreased 0.7 percent versus the prior year third quarter as a result of opportunistic share repurchases.
What drove it
- The February 2026 acquisition of OneOncology increased U.S. Healthcare Solutions gross profit margin and contributed to higher gross profit and operating expenses.
- A higher LIFO credit in the current year quarter contributed to GAAP gross-profit growth.
- Increased sales of GLP-1s offset part of the U.S. Healthcare Solutions gross-profit-margin improvement because they have lower gross profit margins.
- A $102.0 million reduction of opioid liability related to the dismissal of opioid litigation partly offset operating-expense growth.
- European distribution and global specialty logistics drove International Healthcare Solutions growth.
Concerns
- U.S. Healthcare Solutions growth was partly offset by declining manufacturer prices for certain brand pharmaceutical products.
- The 2025 loss of an oncology customer and lower sales to the large mail order customer offset part of U.S. Healthcare Solutions revenue growth.
- Interest expense increased following senior-note and variable-rate term-loan issuance used to finance a portion of the OneOncology acquisition.
- Other revenue was partly affected by lower consulting-services sales following the April 2026 divestiture of U.S. Consulting Services.
What to watch
- Execution against the raised fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance range of $17.75 to $17.95.
- The contribution of the February 2026 acquisition of OneOncology to gross profit, operating expenses, and U.S. Healthcare Solutions operating income.
- The effect of GLP-1 sales mix on gross profit margin.
- The trajectory of sales to the large mail order customer and the impact of the 2025 loss of an oncology customer.
- Interest expense associated with senior notes and variable-rate term loans.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- Net interest expense was $140.7 million, an increase of $58.9 million from the prior year quarter primarily due to the issuance of senior notes and variable-rate term loans to finance a portion of the February 2026 acquisition of OneOncology and a decrease in interest income.
Analysis
Cencora reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $84.8 billion, up 5.1 percent year-over-year. Both reportable operating segments grew, with U.S. Healthcare Solutions revenue up 4.9 percent and International Healthcare Solutions revenue up 5.9 percent. U.S. growth reflected market and unit-volume growth, specialty sales, and sales of products labeled for diabetes and/or weight loss in the GLP-1 class. International growth came from European distribution and global specialty logistics.
Profit growth exceeded revenue growth. GAAP gross profit increased 24.1 percent to $3.6B and GAAP operating income increased 29.1 percent to $1.1B. GAAP gross profit as a percentage of revenue increased 66 basis points to 4.26 percent, while GAAP operating income as a percentage of revenue increased 24 basis points to 1.32 percent. The February 2026 acquisition of OneOncology and a higher LIFO credit supported gross-profit growth, while higher GLP-1 sales, which carry lower gross profit margins, partly offset the margin improvement.
Operating expenses increased 21.9 percent to $2.5B, principally due to OneOncology. The increase was partly offset by a $102.0 million reduction of opioid liability related to the dismissal of opioid litigation. Net interest expense increased $58.9 million to $140.7 million as senior notes and variable-rate term loans were issued to finance a portion of OneOncology and interest income decreased. GAAP diluted EPS increased 11.9 percent to $3.94, and adjusted diluted EPS increased 12.0 percent to $4.48.
U.S. Healthcare Solutions also faced offsets from certain brand pharmaceutical manufacturer-price declines, the 2025 loss of an oncology customer, and lower sales to the large mail order customer. International Healthcare Solutions produced 6.1 percent constant-currency revenue growth and 23.1 percent constant-currency segment operating-income growth. Other revenue increased 6.9 percent, supported by Profarma and MWI Animal Health, while the April 2026 divestiture of U.S. Consulting Services reduced consulting-services sales.
Capital allocation included $1 Billion of share repurchases in the third fiscal quarter, and diluted weighted average shares outstanding decreased 0.7 percent year-over-year. Cencora raised fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance from the previous range of $17.70 to $17.90 to $17.75 to $17.95. The filing does not provide forward-looking GAAP guidance.
Management, verbatim
Our third quarter results reflect the power of our pharmaceutical-centric strategy and the continued execution of our team members. Our strong performance and confidence in our outlook enabled us to raise our fiscal 2026 guidance, underscoring the value we deliver for our stakeholders.
Robert P. Mauch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cencora
Our investments in specialty, digital transformation and talent are strengthening our ability to support our customers across the healthcare ecosystem while positioning Cencora for sustainable long-term growth. The capabilities we have built, and the strength of our core businesses provide a solid foundation for continued growth as we close fiscal 2026.
Robert P. Mauch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cencora
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- Prior-year revenue dollars
- Prior-year gross profit dollars
- Prior-year operating expenses dollars
- Prior-year operating income dollars
- Prior-year net income attributable to Cencora, Inc.
- Prior-year diluted weighted average shares outstanding
- Prior-year segment revenue dollars
- Prior-year segment operating income dollars
- Prior-quarter comparisons for reported metrics
- Operating cash flow
- Free cash flow
- Cash balance
- Debt balance
- Dividend information
- Fiscal 2026 revenue guidance
- Fiscal 2026 gross-margin guidance
- Fiscal 2026 operating-expense guidance
- Fiscal 2026 tax-rate guidance
- Forward-looking GAAP guidance
- Previous outlook section for comparison with actual reported results
AlphaAI analysis generated from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure was cross-checked against the filing text; consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.